Scarred by the Past but Saved by You
by wingedauthoress14
Summary: Tenten starts having nightmares, but tells no one not even Neji, her best friend. Can the emotionless Hyuuga help the kunoichi relinquish the memories causing the nightmares? This is my first fanfic, so I'm not sure of how good it is. Please R&R!
1. The Storm

Wind blew through the trees as clouds barricaded themselves against the sun. Tenten, Konoha's weapon's mistress, looked up into the sky. The clouds were a steely gray that promised rain. Tenten didn't mind though; she loved the rain, perhaps more than any other type of weather. She sat down underneath a sakura tree, whose blossoms coursed through the oncoming wind. As she sat there, she remembered what it had been like before her parents had died. She took a creamy pink petal in her hand, and caressed it against her fingers, remembering how much it felt like her mother's arms when she had gone to hug her. She let the blossom go, and watched as the wind carried it away. _Just like them_, Tenten thought absentmindedly. _Mum and Dad left just like that_. Memories flashed through her mind's eye as she remembered the day her parents left for the deadly mission to the Sound country; her mother's hair, flowing in the wind, her father's voice, carrying over the breeze, telling her to be a good girl until they came back. It had all been so long ago, yet it felt as though it had happened just yesterday. Though her parents died when she was nine, Tenten kept having relapses of nightmares due to her cursed vivid imagination which foretold terrifying pictures of ways her parents could have died. _The reason I'm getting them more now than I used to_, thought Tenten, _is probably because of all the intense training Neji is making me do_. She smiled ruefully. _It will all pay off in the end, I guess_ Tenten thought as she rubbed her arms to get warm; the weather was getting chilly without the sun's rays to warm her. She winced as her fingers sought a place on her forearm where Neji had wounded her during training. She was relieved that he had called it off today. She had a lot to cope with, and just needed some time to be alone to think. She hadn't been fighting her best lately, due to a lack of sleep. Tenten didn't know what to do about her nightmare situation; she hadn't told Neji because she didn't want him to think of her as weak. _Besides,_ she thought, _he has enough on his mind without me adding to his worries_. Her thoughts were silenced as she felt something wet slide down her cheeks. Looking up, she saw that it had begun to rain. Smiling slightly, she remembered a time,five years ago, she was waiting for her parents to come home from their last mission…

Flashback-

Rain spattered to the ground as people hurried home. They came to a small house, and saw a little girl sitting outside, no umbrella or jacket. They asked her why she didn't go inside. She said nothing, but merely shook her head and looked away from the questioning faces. When it had begun to pour more heavily, Tenten still did not move. By this time, there were no more people wandering the streets.

"What are you doing out in the rain?" Tenten jumped. Until now, she thought she was alone; apparently, she was not.

"Oh, hi Neji."

"Don't make me ask again- what are you doing out in the rain?"

"Just waiting for my parents to come home. Is that a crime now?"

"No. It's just that you could get sick or something, and if you're sick and have to stay home, that means that I'll have to spar with Lee until you get better, and you know how much I hate that." Tenten smiled

"So, you like training with me better?" Neji's eyes darkened.

"I'm saying that you're a better sparring partner than he is. Now, go inside."

"Huh?" Tenten asked, taken aback.

"You heard me- go inside."

"You can't boss me around, Neji."

"Tenten!" Neji's voice was like thunder.

"Okay, okay, geez! Why get so worked up over a little thing like being out in the rain?"

"Maybe it's because I don't want you getting sick. I am your friend, Tenten! And just because I'm a Hyuuga doesn't mean that I can't care about other people besides myself!"

Tenten's eyes widened. _He… cares about me?_ she thought, touched. Neji noticed the light blush creeping up into Tenten's cheeks, and decided to act fast.

"Go on," he said, pushing her gently into the house. "I'm sure that your parents are fine, now go inside and stop worrying so much." Tenten nodded, and Neji turned to leave.

"Neji?" Neji turned around halfway to Tenten

"Thank you."  
"Hn." Was all he said before turning away.

End Flashback-

The next day, Tenten was summoned to the Hokage's office, and was told that her parents had died during their mission. Now, rain was not the only thing flowing down Tenten's cheeks. Tears accompanied the raindrops as they made their way to the ground. the sky grew darker as night began to fall, but Tenten did not move. Wind whirled about, making her hair fall out of her two buns. Still, she did not get up. Not even when lightning broke through the clouds, lighting up the darkened area, did she flinch. She was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice the light hail accompanying the heavy downpour from the heavens. Suddenly, without warning, lightning struck the tree she sat under. Thanking kami for her quick reflexes, she jumped out of the way just in time, but lost her footing on the wet, muddy, ground.

"You shouldn't be out the rain. Didn't you learn that lesson the last time?"


	2. What's wrong, Tenten?

"You shouldn't be out the rain. Didn't you learn that lesson the last time?" said a voice that sent shivers cascading down Tenten's back. Strong, secure arms enveloped her as Tenten looked up into the pearl eyes of Hyuga Neji. He set her down and they both began walking to the village. The rain slowed as they walked, and the wind blew less.

"How long were you there, Neji?" Neji looked at the kunoichi.

"Long enough" was his stoic answer. The rain slowed to a stop, and the moon became visible from behind the clouds, sending slivery patches of moonlight gleaming onto the ground marred, every once in a while, by a stray cloud making its way across the star- crossed sky. The two walked in silence for a few moments.

"Tenten," Neji said, breaking the silence, "why didn't you tell me you were having nightmares?" Tenten glared at him.

"You know how much I hate it when you use your Byakugan to find these things out." Neji smirked.

"Well, you weren't telling anyone, so I thought it wouldn't hurt if I decided to find out what was wrong on my own. Your lack of sleep is interfering with training." This last remark earned him another sharp glare from Tenten. "But," he continued, "if you had told me, I would have trained with Lee once in a while so you could have gotten some rest."

"yeah… maybe…" Tenten answered wearily.

"What's wrong, Tenten?" she shook her head slightly. "Nothing, Neji- kun. I guess I'm just tired is all." She realized just then that she was beginning to feel very warm, yet she was shivering slightly in the night air. Her eyelids suddenly felt heavy, and her feet dragged more as they walked. The next thing she knew was the sensation of falling through a dark tunnel, and being caught by her waist, hearing someone call her name, but it was fading… her senses dissapeared, and it felt like only a matter of time until she did too…


	3. Fever

A/N:Hi!this chapter is going to be in Neji's POV. sorry it's so short, but it was the best i could do cause i don't have that much time on the computer these days. anyway, please enjoy this third chappie!

Neji's POV-

I could see Tenten's eyes closing slowly. Her face also seemed flushed, as though with fever. "Neji…" was all she mumbled before fainting. On reflex, I caught her before she hit the ground. "Tenten!" I gasped. I put a hand to her forehead, and found that she was burning up with fever. I took her back to her house, and put her in bed. Not wanting to wake her, I crept out of the room, and started searching for a washcloth to make a cold compress. _Serves her right for being out in the rain so much_, I thought to myself as I found a cloth and ran cold water on it. I went back upstairs to Tenten's room to find her shivering and breathing heavily. I put the cloth on her forehead, but she didn't wake up. I decided that there really wasn't much else I could have done, so I pulled a chair beside her bed, and sat there, watching her sleep the fever away. I reached towards her, and turned the cloth onto its cooler side. As she slept, I realized that I've never seen her with her hair down before. She looked so peaceful, sleeping there, a slight blush on her cheeks, her breathing became much slower now, more content. _At least she's breathing easier now_, I thought while removing the washcloth. I pressed my hand gently across her forehead. _Her fever's gone down a little too_… I sighed a sigh of relief- she was going to be okay.

A/N: so? how was it? did ya luv it? hate it? the only way i'll know is if you review! come on! grins evilly ya know ya wanna:)


	4. Waking up

Hey! i stayed up really late last night trying to finish this cause i couldn't get the story out of my brain. so, it's done now. i hope ya like the final chap.! oh, btw- i do not own Naruto. (if i did, there would b a lot more nejixtenten in the episodes.

Normal POV-

Darkness surrounded her on all sides, suffocating her, binding her with unseen ropes… her lungs are screaming for oxygen, for release, for anything but the oppressing darkness. Scenes of her parent's deaths flash before her… and she just stood there, out in the rain like a sodden, miserable child. She could have done something, but she chose not to… _why?_ A curious inner voice questioned her. _Why did you not go with them? Maybe you were the cause of their deaths. How could I be the cause of their deaths? _Tenten wondered. _They went on the mission to protect not just Konoha, but you. Maybe if you had asked them not to go, they would not have died. They might have gone anyway. _Tenten thought. _Might have _said the little voice in her head. _Now that they are dead, who will care about you? A girl who doesn't even have a parent to keep her out of the rain?_ Suddenly, the images of her parents' deaths were gone, and replaced by a pearly glow that gave Tenten the feeling that she was being watched, but in a protective manner. The color of the glow, and the intensity it gave off reminded her of someone… who was it? She kept wondering. Suddenly, a voice called her name, in no more than a whisper. The mere whisper was enough to make her heart almost stop. Shivers came and went down her spine, as she tried to remember who it was. The voice called her name again, as though trying to help her remember. She called out, hoping she would receive a response, yet, time passed, and no response came. Who could it be? The person who… who… the little voice's words kept coming back to her; _a girl who doesn't even have parents to keep her out of the rain… keep her out of the rain… out of the rain…_Suddenly, as though struck by lightning, Tenten knew who it was. It was so obvious now; "N…Neji?" she called out. An image of her white eyed team mate appeared before her, though fading away as quickly as he had come. "Tenten," he spoke her voice so softly, as though drawing her to him. "Neji, please, don't leave me!" Tenten spoke in half a whisper as she tried to follow him. "Neji!" Tenten sat bolt upright as she awoke from her fever. It was still night out, and the moon was sending moonlight into her darkened room. Next to her sat Neji, his face marred by the slightest touch of worry as he slept. Heart rate returning to normal, her breath slowed, as she contemplated her team mate. _It was him. He made my nighmares go away,_ thought Tenten. _How did he do it, though? _Without really thinking, Tenten reached out an arm, and cupped Neji's face in her hand, brushing away a few stray hairs that covered his face. Neji stirred, and Tenten pulled her hand away. After a few moments, he opened his eyes to see two brown orbs stairing into his pearl ones. "Tenten! You're awake!" he half whispered in a hoarse voice. Tenten did not say anything, but merely wrapped her arms around him, burying her face in his chest. "Please, Neji, don't leave me. I've already lost my parents, and I can't loose you too. You're the only person who can make my nightmares go away. I need you because I love you." The words, though spoken in barely more than a whisper in the breeze, had been heard by the Hyuuga. He enclosed his arms around her, holding her tight. "I promise, Tenten, I will never leave you, because I love you too."

So, how'd ya like it? was it ok 4 my 1st fanfic, or did it suck majorly? u decide- just click on the little button down there- no, to your left. your other left, there ya go! now click on it, and review, please! (flames r ok w/me)


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